Compositions to improve, optimize, or maximize proppant suspension and methods of making and using same

Abstract

Compositions and methods of fracturing including a hydrophobic rendered proppant or a proppant slurry and a fracturing fluid including an aqueous base fluid, a viscosifying agent or mixture of viscosifying agents, and an enhancing proppant suspending composition including an aldehyde, a mixture of aldehydes, a ketone, a mixture of ketones, or mixtures thereof, and optionally a crosslinking agent or a mixture of crosslinking agents.

We claim: 
     
       1. A proppant suspending composition comprising:
 an aldehyde, a mixture of aldehydes, a ketone, a mixture of ketones, or mixtures or combinations thereof, 
 wherein the composition is adapted to be present in an effective amount between about 1 ppm and 1,000 ppm in an aqueous based fracturing fluid, 
 wherein the aqueous base fluid include at least 5,000 ppm total dissolved solids, 
 wherein the composition does not include an ammonium based quaternary salt, and 
 wherein the composition is adapted to suspend hydrophobically modified proppants in the fracturing fluid. 
 
     
     
       2. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the aldehydes are compounds of the formula:
   R—CHO
 
 
 R is a hydrocarbyl group having between 1 and about 40 carbon atoms (C 1 -C 40  aldehydes), and one or more of the carbon atoms may be replaced by oxygen atoms, and 
 the ketones are compounds of the formula:
   R′—C(O)—R″
 
 
 R′ and R″ are independently a hydrocarbyl group having between 1 and about 40 carbon atoms (C 1 -C 40  ketones), one or more of the carbon atoms may be replaced by oxygen atoms. 
 
     
     
       3. The composition of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of formaldehydes, ethanal, propanals, butanals, pentanals, hexanals, heptanals, octanals, nonanals, decanals, undecanals, dodecanals, tridecanals, tetradecanals, pentadecanals, higher alkanals, substituted analogs thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof, and 
 the ketones are selected from the group consisting of acetone, butanones, pentanones, pentanones, hexanones, heptanones, octanones, nonanones, decanones, undecanones, dodecanones, tridecanones, tetradecanones, pentadecanones, higher alkanones, substituted analogs thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       4. The composition of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) C 1  aldehydes including formaldehyde (CH 2 O); 
 (b) C 2  aldehydes including glyoxylic acid (C 2 H 2 O 3 ), chloroacetaldehyde (C 2 H 3 ClO), glyoxal (C 2 H 2 O 2 ), glycolaldehyde (C 2 H 4 O 2 ), fluoroacetaldehyde (C 2 H 3 FO), chloral (C 2 HCl 3 O), or acetaldehyde (C 2 H 4 O); 
 (c) C 3  aldehydes including propionaldehydes or propanals (C 3 H 6 O), glyceraldehyde (C 3 H 6 O 3 ), malondialdehyde (C 3 H 4 O 2 ), lactaldehyde (C 3 H 6 O 2 ), or methylglyoxal (C 3 H 4 O 2 ); 
 (d) C 4  aldehydes including butyraldehydes or butanals (C 4 H 8 O), succinaldehyde (C 4 H 6 O 2 ), 3-hydroxybutanal (C 4 H 8 O 2 ), isobutyraldehyde (C 4 H 8 O), or g-hydroxybutyraldehyde (C 4 H 8 O 2 ); 
 (e) C 5  aldehydes including pentanals (C 5 H 10 O), trans-2-methyl-2-butenal (C 5 H 8 O), furfural (C 5 H 4 O 2 ), glutaconaldehyde (C 5 H 6 O 2 ), glutaraldehyde (C 5 H 8 O 2 ), isovaleraldehyde (C 5 H 10 O), or pivaldehyde (C 5 H 10 O); 
 (f) C 6  aldehydes including hexanals (C 6 H 12 O), hydroxymethylfurfural (C 6 H 6 O 3 ), or cis-3-hexenal (C 6 H 10 O); (g) C 7  aldehydes including heptanals (C 7 H 14 O), phenolic aldehyde (C 7 H 6 O 2 ), methoxymethylfurfural (C 7 H 8 O 3 ), tetrahydrobenzaldehyde (C 7 H 10 O), or benzaldehyde (C 7 H 6 O); 
 (h) C 8  aldehydes including octanals (C 8 H 16 O), phenylglyoxal (C 8 H 6 O 2 ), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (C 8 H 8 O 3 ), or phenylacetaldehyde (C 8 H 8 O); 
 (i) C 9  aldehydes including nonanals (C 9 H 18 O), 2-nitrocinnamaldehyde (C 9 H 7 O 3 N), 4-oxo-2-nonenal (C 9 H 14 O 2 ), cinnamaldehyde (C 9 H 8 O), or 4-hydroxynonenal (C 9 H 16 O 2 ); 
 (j) C 10  aldehydes including decanals (C 10 H 20 O), citral (C 10 H 16 O), hydroxycitronellal (C 10 H 20 O 2 ), 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde (C 10 H 10 O 2 ), safranal (C 10 H 14 O), 8-oxogeranial (C 10 H 14 O 2 ), or citronellal (C 10 H 18 O); 
 (k) C 11  aldehydes including undecanals (C 11 H 22 O), helional (C 11 H 12 O 3 ), nitrophenyl pentadienal (C 11 H 9 NO 3 ), or sinapaldehyde (C 11 H 12 O 4 ); 
 (l) C 12  aldehydes including dodecanals (C 12 H 24 O); 
 (m) C 13  aldehydes including tridecanals (C 13 H 26 O), bourgeonal (C 13 H 18 O), or hydroxymethylpentylcyclohexenecarboxaldehyde (C 13 H 22 O 2 ); 
 (n) C 14  aldehydes including tetradecanes (C 14 H 28 O) or lilial (C 14 H 20 O); 
 (o) C 15  aldehydes including pentadecanes (C 15 H 30 O), hexyl cinnamaldehyde (C 15 H 20 O), abscisic aldehyde (C 15 H 20 O 3 ), velleral (C 15 H 20 O 2 ), or polygodial (C 15 H 22 O 2 ) 
 (p) C 16 , aldehydes including hexadencanals (C 16 H 32 O) or callicarpenal (C 16 H 26 O); 
 (q) C 17  aldehydes including hetadecanals (C 17 H 34 O), botrydial (C 17 H 26 O 5 ), or oleocanthal (C 17 H 20 O 5 ); 
 (r) C 18  aldehydes including octadecanals (C 18 H 36 O); 
 (s) C 19  aldehydes including nonadecanals (C 19 H 38 O); 
 (t) C 20  aldehydes including icosanals (C 20 H 40 O) or retinal (C 20 H 28 O), substituted analogous thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof; 
 (u) substituted analogous thereof, and 
 (v) mixtures or combinations thereof, 
 
 the ketones are selected from the group consisting of acetone, butanones, pentanones, pentanones, hexanones, heptanones, octanones, nonanones, decanones, undecanones, dodecanones, tridecanones, tetradecanones, pentadecanones, higher alkanones, substituted analogs thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a quaternary salt comprises compounds of the general formula:
   R 1 R 2 R 3 ArN + X −   
 
 R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are the same or different and are hydrogen atoms or substitutes selected from the group consisting of carbyl groups, hydrocarbyl groups, alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkaaryl groups, aralkyl groups, and mixtures thereof having between 1 and 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more of the carbon atoms may be replace by an oxygen atom, 
 Ar is an aryl group, alkaaryl groups, aralkyl groups, and mixtures thereof having between 5 and 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more of the carbon atoms may be replaced with an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, a sulfur atoms, or mixtures thereof, and 
 X is a counterion. 
 
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobically modified proppants comprising a coating having a water contact angle greater than about 90 degrees. 
     
     
       7. A fracturing fluid composition comprising:
 an aqueous base fluid having a total dissolved solids greater than or equal to about 5,000 ppm, 
 a friction reducer, a mixture of friction reducers, a high viscosity friction reducer, a mixture of high viscosity friction reducers, a viscosifying agent, or mixture of viscosifying agents, an effective amount of a proppant suspending composition including;
 an aldehyde, 
 a mixture of aldehydes, 
 a ketone, 
 a mixture of ketones, or 
 mixtures or combinations thereof, 
 wherein the effective amount is between about 1 ppm and 1,000 ppm, 
 wherein the proppant suspending composition does not include an ammonium based quaternary salt, and 
 
 one or more hydrophobically modified proppants,
 wherein the effective amount is sufficient to suspend the hydrophobically modified proppants in the fracturing fluid. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the aqueous base fluid comprises a brackish water, a produced water, a flow back water, a reclaimed water, or mixtures and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a crosslinking agent or a mixture of crosslinking agents including borates, borates related crosslinkers, zirconates, zirconate derivatives, aluminates, aluminate derivatives, or mixtures thereof, or 
 a crosslinking agent or a mixture of crosslinking agents including borates, borates related crosslinkers, zirconates, zirconate derivatives, aluminates, aluminate derivatives, or mixtures thereof, and 
 a crosslinking delay agent or a mixture of crosslinking delay agents. 
 
     
     
       10. The composition of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the one or more proppants are precoated or coated in a slurry with a hydrophobic proppant treating composition to form hydrophobically modified proppants, and 
 the hydrophobic proppant treating composition comprising an organosilane, a fluoro-organosiloxane, a fluoro-organosilane, a siloxane, or mixtures and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       11. The composition of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the aldehydes are compounds of the formula:
   R—CHO
 
 
 R is a hydrocarbyl group having between 1 and about 40 carbon atoms (C 1 -C 40  aldehydes), and one or more of the carbon atoms may be replaced by oxygen atoms, and the ketones are compounds of the formula:
   R′—C(O)—R″
 
 
 R′ and R″ are independently a hydrocarbyl group having between 1 and about 40 carbon atoms (C 1 -C 40  ketones), one or more of the carbon atoms may be replaced by oxygen atoms. 
 
     
     
       12. The composition of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, ethanal, propanals, butanals, pentanals, hexanals, heptanals, octanals, nonanals, decanals, undecanals, dodecanals, tridecanals, tetradecanals, pentadecanals, higher alkanals, substituted analogs thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof, and 
 the ketones are selected from the group consisting of acetone, butanones, pentanones, pentanones, hexanones, heptanones, octanones, nonanones, decanones, undecanones, dodecanones, tridecanones, tetradecanones, pentadecanones, higher alkanones, substituted analogs thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       13. The composition of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of: 
 the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) C 1  aldehydes including formaldehyde (CH 2 O); 
 (b) C 2  aldehydes including glyoxylic acid (C 2 H 2 O 3 ), chloroacetaldehyde (C 2 H 3 ClO), glyoxal (C 2 H 2 O 2 ), glycolaldehyde (C 2 H 4 O 2 ), fluoroacetaldehyde (C 2 H 3 FO), chloral (C 2 HCl 3 O), or acetaldehyde (C 2 H 4 O); 
 (c) C 3  aldehydes including propionaldehydes or propanals (C 3 H 6 O), glyceraldehyde (C 3 H 6 O 3 ), malondialdehyde (C 3 H 4 O 2 ), lactaldehyde (C 3 H 6 O 2 ), or methylglyoxal (C 3 H 4 O 2 ); 
 (d) C 4  aldehydes including butyraldehydes or butanals (C 4 H 8 O), succinaldehyde (C 4 H 6 O 2 ), 3-hydroxybutanal (C 4 H 8 O 2 ), isobutyraldehyde (C 4 H 8 O), or g-hydroxybutyraldehyde (C 4 H 8 O 2 ); 
 (e) C 5  aldehydes including pentanals (C 5 H 10 O), trans-2-methyl-2-butenal (C 5 H 8 O), furfural (C 5 H 4 O 2 ), glutaconaldehyde (C 5 H 6 O 2 ), glutaraldehyde (C 5 H 8 O 2 ), isovaleraldehyde (C 5 H 10 O), or pivaldehyde (C 5 H 10 O); 
 (f) C 6  aldehydes including hexanals (C 6 H 12 O), hydroxymethylfurfural (C 6 H 6 O 3 ), or cis-3-hexenal (C 6 H 10 O); (g) C 7  aldehydes including heptanals (C 7 H 14 O), phenolic aldehyde (C 7 H 6 O 2 ), methoxymethylfurfural (C 7 H 8 O 3 ), tetrahydrobenzaldehyde (C 7 H 10 O), or benzaldehyde (C 7 H 6 O); 
 (h) C 8  aldehydes including octanals (C 8 H 16 O), phenylglyoxal (C 8 H 6 O 2 ), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (C 8 H 8 O 3 ), or phenylacetaldehyde (C 8 H 8 O); 
 (i) C 9  aldehydes including nonanals (C 9 H 18 O), 2-nitrocinnamaldehyde (C 9 H 7 O 3 N), 4-oxo-2-nonenal (C 9 H 14 O 2 ), cinnamaldehyde (C 9 H 8 O), or 4-hydroxynonenal (C 9 H 16 O 2 ); 
 (j) C 10  aldehydes including decanals (C 10 H 20 O), citral (C 10 H 16 O), hydroxycitronellal (C 10 H 20 O 2 ), 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde (C 10 H 10 O 2 ), safranal (C 10 H 14 O), 8-oxogeranial (C 10 H 14 O 2 ), or citronellal (C 10 H 18 O); 
 (k) C 11  aldehydes including undecanals (C 11 H 22 O), helional (C 11 H 12 O 3 ), nitrophenyl pentadienal (C 11 H 9 NO 3 ), or sinapaldehyde (C 11 H 12 O 4 ); 
 (l) C 12  aldehydes including dodecanals (C 12 H 24 O); 
 (m) C 13  aldehydes including tridecanals (C 13 H 26 O), bourgeonal (C 13 H 18 O), or hydroxymethylpentylcyclohexenecarboxaldehyde (C 13 H 22 O 2 ); 
 (n) C 14  aldehydes including tetradecanes (C 14 H 28 O) or lilial (C 14 H 20 O); 
 (o) C 15  aldehydes including pentadecanes (C 15 H 30 O), hexyl cinnamaldehyde (C 15 H 20 O), abscisic aldehyde (C 15 H 20 O 3 ), velleral (C 15 H 20 O 2 ), or polygodial (C 15 H 22 O 2 ); 
 (p) C 16  aldehydes including hexadencanals (C 16 H 32 O) or callicarpenal (C 16 H 26 O); 
 (q) C 17  aldehydes including hetadecanals (C 17 H 34 O), botrydial (C 17 H 26 O 5 ), or oleocanthal (C 17 H 20 O 5 ); 
 (r) C 18  aldehydes including octadecanals (C 18 H 36 O); 
 (s) C 19  aldehydes including nonadecanals (C 19 H 38 O); 
 (t) C 20  aldehydes including icosanals (C 20 H 40 O) or retinal (C 20 H 28 O), substituted analogous thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof, 
 (u) substituted analogous thereof, and 
 (v) mixtures or combinations thereof, 
 
 the ketones are selected from the group consisting of acetone, butanones, pentanones, pentanones, hexanones, heptanones, octanones, nonanones, decanones, undecanones, dodecanones, tridecanones, tetradecanones, pentadecanones, higher alkanones, substituted analogs thereof, and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       14. The composition of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a quaternary salt comprises compounds of the general formula:
   R 1 R 2 R 3 ArN + X −   
 
 R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are the same or different and are hydrogen atoms or substitutes selected from the group consisting of carbyl groups, hydrocarbyl groups, alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkaaryl groups, aralkyl groups, and mixtures thereof having between 1 and 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more of the carbon atoms may be replace by an oxygen atom, 
 Ar is an aryl group, alkaaryl groups, aralkyl groups, and mixtures thereof having between 5 and 40 carbon atoms, wherein one or more of the carbon atoms may be replaced with an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, a sulfur atoms, or mixtures thereof, and X −  is a counterion. 
 
     
     
       15. The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the hydrophobically modified proppants comprising a coating having a water contact angle greater than about 90 degrees.